Drive-chain



U ITED STATES.

PATENT O FICE.

I WILLIAM A. BRAVES, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

DRIVE-CHAIN.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,103, dated May 5, 1885.

Application filed October 15, 1884. (Model) a To all whom it may. concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. Dames, of Milwaukee, in the county-of Milwaukee, and in the State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drive- Chains; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in drive-chains for sprocket-wheels; and it consists in certain peculiarities of construction, as will be fully described hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of drive-chain links embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the same in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a side view showing the links in position for coupling or uncoupling, and Fig. 4. represents a series of links in position around' a Wheel-segment.

A A are the links of my improved chain, and these are made, as usual, of rectangular form and slightly longer than they are broad. The side bars, a a, consist of straight rods somewhat curved down at their extreme ends, and the end bars, at a are connected to these curved ends so as to lie in a slightly-lower horizontal plane than the side bars, a a. The lower edge of the end bar or is extended down and out opposite the open space between the side bars, and this extended portion is curved upward and toward the upper edge of the said bar a to form the hook a, wherein the bar a of the next link'is received and held so that it and the bar a of the first link come in a horizontal plane slightly below the horizontal plane of the side bars, a. a. The upper edges of the side bars, a a, are cutout on a bevel, as at at a and the bar a is correspondingly beveled, as at a. The bevel a at the opposite ends of the side bars is at a slightly less obtuse angle than at ai and does not extend beyond the upper edge of the end bar a This latter is cylindrical, and the ends of the side bars, a a, connected to it are rounded out beyond the bevel a, so as to conform to the diameter of the said bar a On the side of the link on which the coupling and uncoupling is to be made the rounding at the end of the bar a is extended backward up to the straight side of the link the rounding of the bar ais lower edge of the said bar, as at a. This am 50. rangement will allow for the passage or insertion of the end bar a into the hooking end I bar aof the next link; but on the opposite not thus extended backward, but is curved 1; up, as at a, thus forming a stop, against which the end of hook at impinges when the ends of the links are in a suitable position for working, as shown in Fig. 1. This is the only l. position in which the chain is flexible. The C0 end bar a cannot be inserted too far through the hook because of the stop a, and if not inserted far enough the bevel a meets the bevel a? and prevents the links from turning. In

order to give to the cylindrical bar a a wide bearing in the said hooking-bar, so as to pre- 1 1 vent the slacking of thechain, the outer edge of the bar a is grooved at a beyond the bevel a and the corresponding end of the side bars, y a a, are likewise grooved, as at a The bear- 7o ing thus obtained covers fully one-fifth of the end bar a and will keepthe chain in a perfectly straight lateral line without in the least interfering with its flexibility. Having thus described my invention, what 7 5 f I claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is.- 11 I In a link for drive-chains, the combination l of the straight side bars, a a, both of which have their extreme ends curved down and are provided with the bevels a and at, the grooves i a, and with the stop or upon one of them, the cylindrical end bar a and the end bar a*, having the bevel a and hook at, adapted to A slide over the end of bar a of the next similar link in the chain and meet the stop a, thus forming a flexible joint of the two links, in which the end bars of each link are carriedin a horizontal plane lower than that of the side bars, substantially as shown and described. 01:; In testimony that I claim the foregoingI have hereunto set my hand, at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee-and State of Wisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. BRAVES.

Witnesses;

STANLEY S. STOUT, H. G. UNDERWOOD. 

